1. What Every Teacher Should Know about the Brain and Learning
Sponsored by Teachers’ Center
Facilitated by Kim Lewis
April 22, 2014

2. Topics for today: How does learning occur?
How do we use this information to help students to be successful?
How do we help students take in information at a more efficient rate?
How do we help students to retrieve information from long term memory?
Condensed from course
through NaMaYa
Based on research by
Donna Walker Tileston, Ed. D.,
President of Strategic Teaching and Learning
and R.J. Marzano

3. How does learning “happen”?
RAS
Reticular Activation System
Perceptual
Register
Self System
Senses
Sensory Input of Incoming information
in through senses
99% comes in through senses – vision, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching (modalities)
40,000 bits per second
98% discarded – good because otherwise we would be on sensory overload and couldn’t focus but bad because sometimes we discard information that we need to remember
into the thalamus for sorting
Self System/Perceptual Register -
Step 1
All learning begins in the “self system” which decides whether or not to engage in the learning.
Is the incoming information important?
“Satisfying a basic need or instrumental in the attainment of a personal goal” (Marzano)
“how will it help them to survive, to keep from being cheated, or to be elevated in stature in front of their friends?” (Tileston)
OUT
98%

4. How does learning “happen”?
OUT
Short Term (Sensory)Memory IN RA S
15 seconds
Senses IN
WORKING MEMORY
OUT
98%
Long Term Memory

5. How does learning “happen”?

6. Provide varied opportunities for students to acquire information
Senses
ACTIVITY
What are 3 characteristics of …. learners?
What are 3 strategies you use with… learners?
MODALITIES
visual
auditory
kinesthetic
85-87% of learners need visual or kinesthetic experiences to learn
come back to techniques for each modality
Modalities
Characteristics of Visual Learners: tend to be the largest group in classroom (Tileston)
Difficulty remembering names but remember details about a person
Learn best when there are visual tools to help explain the learning
Would rather read a story themselves than have someone read it to them
Organize thoughts by writing them down
Have difficulty remember directions that are told to them
Often give away their emotions through their facial expressions
Like puzzles and other visual tools
Tips for Visual Learners
Nonliguistic organizers
visual maps using symbols, colors, designs to organize information
Mind maps
Characteristics of Auditory Learners – smallest number in average classroom
Often store and retrieve information in sequences
Remember names better than faces
Fidget in the classroom when made to sit for long periods of time
Forget what is read unless it is discussed
Respond to physical encouragement such as a pat on the back
Would rather be in a group discussion about a topic than read about it
Are cognizant of the temperature and comfort level of the room and are affected by those characteristics
Are easily distracted by sounds
Are good storytellers
Prefer to give oral reports rather than written work
Tip for auditory
Hearing is important to their learning but the must also be given opportunities to talk
Characteristics of Kinesthetic Learners – need to move and need models of learning that they can hold and touch
Remember best what was done rather than what was seen or heard
when faced with aproblem , will often choose the solution that involves the most activity
would rather participate in almost anything than just watch
like simulations, drama, and outdoor activity
like models and will often build models for independent projects
give away their emotions through their body language
Tips
move and practice

7. Is the information important?
Moving from sensory memory into working memory and then into long term memory is conscious processing that starts with answering:
Is the information important?
Have I had success with this type of learning in the past?
Does the information make sense?
Does it have meaning for ME? RA S
Does is satisfy a basic need?
Will it help me to meet a personal goal? (Marzano)
Will it help me to survive, to keep from being cheated, or to be elevated in stature in front of my friends? (Tileston)
Self Efficacy - Do I have the ability, power and resources to be successful? (Marzano)
We cannot create meaning for our students – we must each create our own meaning. A good teacher knows how to create the environment that facilitates meaning.
What can I do to help them answer these questions in a way that helps them CHOOSE to learn?

8. Provide opportunities for students to CREATE MEANING
Relevance
Activate a learner’s existing neural networks – prior experiences
Emotions
“When the learner’s emotions are engaged, the brain codes the content by triggering the release of chemicals that single out and mark the experience as important and meaningful.” (Jensen)
Emotions can enhance or shut down learning
Patterns or Connections
What do I already know that applies to this?
Examples and NON Examples
Relevance – fractions – pizza slices
Emotion – humor, celebrations, experiences, music
Many areas of the body and brain – prefontal cortices, amygdala, hippocampus and even the stomach a – are all activated by emotion

9. Provide opportunities for students to experience SUCCESS
Matrix or rubric which tells students exactly what they must do to be successful
Adequate time to practice the learning
Specific feedback – strengths and weaknesses , suggestions
Safe emotional climate
Eliminate physical, emotional and cultural threats
Eliminate intellectual threats
Wait time
Climate that says it’s okay to make mistakes
Partial answers are accepted and complimented
Eliminate resource restrictions
PARTIAL – INCREMENTAL success

10. WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING How to Begin Whole Brain Teaching (8 min)
4th Grade Reading (7 min)
Whole Brain Algebra Lesson (5 min)

11. Long Term Memory Pathways
Semantic
stores words and facts
Episodic
based on context and location
Procedural
motor memory
How do I help them RETRIEVE the information from LONG TERM memory to move it to WORKING MEMORY again?
Semantic is least brain compatible and most often used in classrooms
Episodic is highly brain compatible and long lasting ( 9?11?) – often has emotional tie - unlimited in storage capcity

12. Techniques for activating SEMANTIC MEMORY
Capacity & Chunking
The number of “chunks” of new information to be stored in semantic memory is restricted by age
Age
Minimum
Maximum
Average
up to 5 1 3 2
5 to 14 7 5
14 + 9
According to research by Jensen and Sousa
The amount of information in each “chunk” is not .
So what should I do?

13. Techniques for activating SEMANTIC MEMORY
Categories in long lists (chunks)
Linguistic & non linguistic organizers
Mind maps
Intervals of peer teaching
Socratic questioning
Mnemonics
Stories
Songs
Personal goal setting and learning logs
Mind maps
Socratic ?s

14. MIND MAPPING Tony Buzon
iMindMap HD free app -
Follow this link for How to Use the App

15. Linguistic and Non Linguistic Organizers
Graphic Organizers
Note Taking Models

16. Socratic Questioning Questions for clarification
Teaching Channel Example of Active Questioning
Socratic Questioning
Questions for clarification
Questions that probe assumptions
Questions that probe reasons and evidence
Questions about viewpoints and perspectives
Questions that probe implications and consequences
Questions about the question
Socratic Teaching

17. Techniques for activating EPISODIC MEMORY
Include visuals in classroom and lessons
Color-code units
Use symbols or frames
Change the room arrangement at start of new unit
Use group activities
Create game based learning
Since episodic memory is more brain friendly – try to use these techniques to tie to semantic
Since it’s based on context….. Jensen cites research that when we test students in the same room in which they learned info they do better on the test
FRAMES – pollution example….. “politician” “new parent” “factory owner”
SHARE an Example from YOUR classroom

18. Game-Based Learning? Encourages teamwork
Example
Encourages teamwork
Allows students to learn from their mistakes
Models constructive behavior
Immerses students in the material
Develops a shared sense of mission
Teaches leadership and problem-solving

19. Techniques for activating PROCEDURAL MEMORY
Add movement !
Role play & Drama
Choral reading
Projects
Hands-on activities
Manipulatives
Mental models – Talk out what happens in your brain!
Since episodic memory is more brain friendly – try to use these techniques to tie to semantic
Since it’s based on context….. Jensen cites research that when we test students in the same room in which they learned info they do better on the test
FRAMES – pollution example….. “politician” “new parent” “factory owner”

20. Provide enough practice with a skill Point out possible pitfalls
WHAT ELSE?
Provide enough practice with a skill
Point out possible pitfalls
Have students set personal goals and then chart their own progress
Try for “relaxed alertness”
Orchestrate immersion